The Grace of Submission
“…Eli said, ‘He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.‘”
1 Samuel 3:18 (NIV)
Eli had been a judge in Israel for 40 years. He loved the Lord and served Him faithfully, but he allowed his sons (who were priests) to sin without proper rebuke or restraint.
God told Samuel that He was going to ”…judge [Eli’s] family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them.” (1 Samuel 3:13 NIV)
Samuel was “afraid to tell Eli the vision“ (1 Samuel 3:15 NIV), but Eli said, “Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.” So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.” (1 Samuel 3:17-18 NIV)
Eli’s heart must have been broken when he heard the prophecy about his sons, but he accepted it quietly. He knew it was his responsibility to rebuke them, but he didn’t do so. His verbal reprimands weren’t enough. According to the law, he should have cut them off from the nation.
Luke 23:39-43 has a similar story where the repentant thief accepts his punishment, knowing that he was ”suffering justly” and was receiving what he deserved. He was beginning to believe that Jesus was indeed the the Son of God.
“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at {Jesus]: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43 NIV)
I suggest that both Eli and the repentant thief had the grace of submission. They both accepted the fact that God’s judgment for their sin was righteous, and there was nothing they could do about it. They accepted the consequences of their wrongdoing, hoping that the Lord would be gracious to them in the life to come.
Perhaps you find yourself in the same position today. Through your rebellion against the Lord you now suffer for your sins. If so, seek the grace of submission. Accept the consequences for wrongdoing. Then ask the Lord for grace to be accepted into His eternal kingdom.
God delights in being gracious. Pray Eli’s words, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.” Then pray the repentant thief’s prayer, “Lord remember me when you come in your kingdom.”
He will hear and answer your prayer today.
“Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.“ (Isaiah 66:2 NIV)